A hairdresser got away with more than £300 by altering a customer's cheques before her forgeries were discovered.

A court heard how 35-year-old Wendy Steward changed eight cheques from customer Diana Rowe before her husband noticed discrepancies.

Steward, of Bell Lane, Panfield, admitted eight charges of forgery between March and September last year when she appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Judge Gareth Hawkesworth gave six-months pregnant Steward a conditional discharge for two years and told her to pay £358 compensation to the Co-op bank and £520 costs.

"It is a great tragedy to pass sentence on someone of your age who is of good character and who is about to embark on motherhood," Judge Hawkesworth told Steward.

The court heard Steward ran Wendy's Hairdressing Salon in High Street, Stebbing, and Mrs Rowe was a regular customer who had her hair usually done twice a week.

Mrs Rowe would pay £6 a time with £1 tip and would pay by cheque.

Her husband was checking bank statements and found discrepancies so he contacted the Co-op Bank.

They launched an inquiry and police were brought in, Simon Spence, prosecuting, said.

Eight cheques had been altered and the overpayment amounted to £358, Mr Spence added.

Jane Farquharson, mitigating, said it was a serious matter which had had a great impact on Steward and her family.

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